Viral video of a thwarted hijacking shot in Barbados, not South Africa

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<span>Screenshot of the fake X message, taken on September 30, 2024</span>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/avaaSUnEvTVMrQhCGKUm.Q–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTY0OQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp_factcheck_us_713/c1e592c0f6cb1ab9 064cd11e825484f3″ /><span></div>
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Screenshot of the fake X-post, taken on September 30, 2024

The post was published by an X account called @Africa_Archives to its nearly one million followers. AFP Fact Check previously debunked the contents of the account (see here, hereAnd here).

A reply to the post – which has racked up thousands of likes and hundreds of reposts – read: “That driver deserves medals and he should work for @SAPoliceService under the high speed pursuit division (sic).”

However, other comments disputed the location, saying it happened in the Caribbean country of Barbados.

The same claim and video also circulated in 2023 about a Kenyan forum and on X.

However, the claim is incorrect.

Courage in Barbados

A reverse image search of the keyframes from the video confirmed that it was shot in Barbados.

According to the country’s local media (here And here), a public transport driver, Marlon Tempro, used his driving skills to foil a robbery attempt on July 16, 2024 (archived here And here).

The action was captured on the vehicle’s security dashcam.

<span>Screenshot of the video in an article published in July 2023 by Jamaican outlet Our Today</span>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/vFbbRy7OVjFJRFgeqGY4cQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU5Nw–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp_factcheck_us_713/cea7b6c04513 8bcc14cc1465d4510718″/><span><button class=

Screenshot of the video in an article published in July 2023 by Jamaican outlet Our Today

The footage went viral and Barbadians praised Tempro for his bravery and quick thinking after the couple’s intentions became clear.

“My whole idea was to get out of the situation safely, with as little damage as possible, and come out unscathed and at least go back home to my family,” Tempro told reporters in a interview days later (archived here).

Barbados Police have issued a wanted persons bulletin for one of the suspects, who was 18. Him later turned reported himself to the police on July 20, 2023 and was charged with a series of robberies that lasted four days (archived here, here And here).

The second suspect, a 16-year-old, was also arrested charged with the robbery of Tempro and the use of a firearm (archived here).

South African crime

South African Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said Crime generally increased when he published the country’s quarterly magazine crime statistics on August 30, 2024 (archived here).

“Crimes we should be most concerned about are murder, rape, hijacking, kidnapping for ransom and extortion,” Mchunu said.

South Africa has one highest crime rates in the world. According to official figures, almost 84 murders per day were registered between October and December 2023 (archived here).

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